IU-led coalition named NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana to advance treatment of musculoskeletal health conditions
An Indiana University-led coalition of industry, workforce, clinical, government and research partners is now part of a major U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative that will build a regional innovation ecosystem in Indiana focused on the care and treatment of musculoskeletal health conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis, and acute and interventional needs like bone fractures and traumatic injuries.
The IU-led NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana has been selected for the second cohort of NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines), a highly competitive program designed to accelerate research — moving innovations from the lab to the marketplace while driving economic growth, job creation and talent development. The NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana aims to connect Indiana’s world-class orthopedic industry, top universities and health data resources to speed life-changing musculoskeletal innovations to the market.
“Through the NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana, we’re bringing together research, clinical care and industry to accelerate musculoskeletal innovation,” said Pamela Whitten, president of Indiana University. “Indiana is simply unrivaled in the strengths needed to quickly turn musculoskeletal breakthroughs into new technologies, new companies and high-quality jobs. And most importantly, that means these new, innovative treatments will reach the patients who need them most.”
Indiana is already one of the central manufacturing and innovation hubs for orthopedic devices worldwide. The NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana will ensure that this industry’s growth is matched with increased workforce capacity through focused efforts to train students, upskill workers, and align K-12 and higher education with industry needs to support the sector. The coalition aspires to train over 1,900 workers, launch over 85 startups, bring at least 30 innovations to market and deliver more than $535 million in economic impact to the state.
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Learn more about the Indiana Musculoskeletal Health Partnership for the Advancement of Care & Treatment
All IU campuses earn Collegiate Purple Star of Indiana for supporting military-connected students
Military-connected students seeking a supportive school to help them achieve their higher-education goals have plenty of options through Indiana University. All nine of IU’s campuses achieved the Collegiate Purple Star of Indiana designation, which recognizes institutions for their commitment to veterans and students in the military, for the 2025-26 academic year.
Higher-education institutions are designated with one of three service tiers based on their ability to meet 37 standards across eight categories, according to a press release that announced all the honored institutions. IU’s campuses earned the following service tier statuses:
- Tier 1: IU Bloomington, IU Indianapolis, IU South Bend, IU Fort Wayne.
- Tier 2: IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU Southeast, IU Columbus.
- Tier 3: IU East.
“I think it shows how military friendly IU is, and really how military friendly the state of Indiana is when you think about the larger picture here,” said Sean Kilpatrick, IU associate vice president for University Enrollment Services, a division within the university-wide Office of the Vice President for Student Success, Enrollment and Institutional Effectiveness. “So many institutions, including IU, have committed to this. And to see all nine IU campuses on board in some level shows we are committed and should be a destination of choice for any military-connected student who’s looking to further their education.
IU Bloomington previously earned Tier 3 status for the 2024-25 academic year. All other IU campuses are first-time recipients of the Collegiate Purple Star designation. An institution’s tier status is good for three years, although it can apply the following cycle to try to improve it.
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Read the Indiana Commission for Higher Education press release
State Update
This month’s State Update features: Fairbanks School and Indiana Department of Health launching an academic health department partnership; IU’s K-12 Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program providing another career pathway; Kelley School’s opening their new AI course designed specifically for business professionals to the general public; IU School of Medicine-led project studying the effect of immune cell aging on Parkinson’s risk; and the latest Indy Sports Poll conducted by the IU Indianapolis Sports Innovation Institute showing sports strengthen city pride.
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Economic Engagement Update
Registration open for IU Economic Development Summit
Registration is open for the IU Economic Development Summit to be held Aug. 3 at Alumni Hall on the IU Bloomington campus.
The annual event brings together Indiana University leaders, business executives, policymakers and community stakeholders to explore the university’s impact on economic development throughout the state; highlight IU’s research, partnerships and initiatives that foster business growth, talent development and community resilience; and engage in meaningful discussions, networking opportunities and collaborative planning to fuel Indiana’s economic engine.
Larry Gigerich and David Rosenberg will serve as keynote speaker and fireside chat speakers, respectively.
Gigerich, a nationally recognized economic development leader with more than 30 years of local and state government, not-for-profit and private sector experience, currently serves as chair of the Site Selectors Guild. He has been named one of the nation’s best economic development officials by Governing Magazine and one of Indiana’s Top 250 most influential and impactful leaders by the Indianapolis Business Journal.
Rosenberg is the inaugural president and CEO of IU Inc., the Indiana University-affiliated entity that will accelerate IU’s research impact through expanded and enhanced partnerships with industry, startups and government.
Register for the Summit here
Review the Summit agenda here
Innovation takes flight as IU Southeast and Redwire open NovaParke facilities
On the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Indiana University Southeast celebrated the official opening of IU Southeast @ NovaParke on Monday, July 20, while joining Redwire Corporation in the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art facility at the NovaParke Innovation and Technology Campus.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun joined local and state leaders, industry partners, university officials, and community members to mark the milestone and recognize the campus as a catalyst for innovation, workforce development, and economic growth in Southern Indiana.
“When you make an investment in a community like this, it’s not only going to benefit the company and the hard-working people they’ll find as employees, it’ll be a blessing to all of us in the state of Indiana and for the country,” Braun said.
The celebration also marked the opening of Redwire Corporation’s new 30,000-square-foot facility, which supports the company’s work at the forefront of spaceflight research and technology.
Scientists, engineers, and technicians at the facility design, fabricate, assemble, test, verify, operate, and manufacture complex payloads and spacecraft control systems. The mission operations control room maintains a direct, real-time connection with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, supporting research in areas including 3D bioprinting, pharmaceutical manufacturing, plant science, crop production, and other scientific advancements.
Learn more about the new NovaParke facilities
$7M investment to help retain arts talent and strengthen southern Indiana workforce
More than $7 million will be invested in workforce development, talent retention and creative-economy infrastructure across southern Indiana through a new Indiana University-led initiative designed to help artists, entrepreneurs and creative professionals build careers in the Indiana Uplands.
The investment includes a $3 million READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Initiative grant from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and more than $4 million in matching and in-kind support to establish the Uplands Regional Creative Economy Commons. This connected network of creative spaces, shared production facilities, public programming and regional resources will serve the 11 southern Indiana counties that make up the Indiana Uplands region.
Led by IU Research and regional partners, the initiative is designed to strengthen the creative workforce by creating professional pathways for artists and creative entrepreneurs, expanding access to business-development resources, and providing the infrastructure needed for creative professionals to live, work and build businesses in the region. The project responds to a longstanding challenge identified by regional leaders: retaining talented graduates, artists and young professionals by providing opportunities to launch careers close to home.
Learn more about the READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Initiative grant
IU in the News
Gov. Braun appoints 3 new IU trustees
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has appointed three new members of the Indiana University Board of Trustees, effective immediately on July 1, 2026. The new trustees will be Matt Ferguson, former CEO of CareerBuilder and a longtime workforce development leader; Steve Henke, founder and president of Henke Development Group; and Mel Raines, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. Each of the appointees is a graduate of Indiana University.
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IU appoints Tom Froehle as vice president and general counsel
Indiana University has appointed Tom Froehle as its next vice president and general counsel, effective Aug. 17. As IU’s chief legal officer, Froehle will direct the university’s legal strategy, manage both in-house attorneys and outside counsel, and advise senior leadership on matters such as governance, policy development and risk management. He will also oversee the offices of civil rights compliance, university compliance and internal audit.
Froehle brings more than 30 years of experience advising corporations, universities and government entities on complex legal, regulatory and financing matters. His work includes representing organizations such as Honda, United Airlines and the NCAA on partnerships with state and local governments, as well as representing universities and public entities on major financing initiatives and related regulatory requirements. Most recently, as a partner and chair emeritus of Faegre Drinker, Froehle helped shape the firm’s strategic direction and operations with a focus on innovation and meeting clients’ evolving needs.
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Student Researchers Pursue New Treatment for Often-Misdiagnosed Brain Disorder
Few neurological disorders offer a second chance. Normal pressure hydrocephalus, often mistaken for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, is one of them. Its symptoms can often be reversed. Yet, patients still face an invasive solution. A surgically implanted brain shunt. At Indiana University Indianapolis’ Hydrocephalus Research Center, Ph.D. student Jane Obiako is helping researchers pursue a different future. By developing one of the few laboratory models of normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition where cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles, Obiako and two undergraduate researchers, Ryan Ford and Ola Oladeji, are supporting the center’s long-term mission to develop a drug therapy that could one day replace shunt surgery.
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